ON her first bilateral visit to China since taking office in 2016, Prime Minister Theresa May was accompanied by a delegation of 50 business and institutional leaders, representing the U.K.’s interest in a strong, broad, and deep relationship with China.

AS close neighbors, the friendship between China and Vietnam goes back to ancient times. And as socialist countries under the leadership of their respective communist parties, China and Vietnam are both in the process of deepening reforms. In the midst of their discrete national independence campaigns and progressing socialist construction, the two countries have extended helping hands to each other, thus consolidating their bond of friendship.

IN the last 30 years, between 1978 and 2010, more than 600 million Chinese shook off poverty. China has made huge contributions to the alleviation of world poverty, and in 2015 China initiated a new campaign vowing to completely eradicate poverty in the country.

AT the start of the New Year, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid state visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, among other West Asian and North African countries. As former envoy to these two countries, I found this most gratifying.

Not only did 2015 mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but the years 2015 and 2016 also mark the China-Canada Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges. Under this backdrop China Today interviewed Ambassador of Canada to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, on his insights into the multiple issues involving the two countries' bilateral relations.